DUSHANBE, January 15, Asia-Plus — Social-Democratic Party (SDPT) is ready for dialogue with all political parties of the country, the SDPT leader Rahmatillo Zoirov said in an interview with Asia-Plus, commenting on a statement of Sayfullo Safarov, deputy director of the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of Tajikistan, on the necessity of dialogue among the country’s political parties.
“Our party has supported this idea since 1998, when it was founded,” the SDPT leader, said.
However, he expressed doubt that all political parties would be able to find common language concerning this matter. “We are not the problem, unlike some other parties we are supporters of the dialogue with all political parties. For example, ruling People’s Democratic Party is not ready to conduct such dialogue with us,” Zoirov said, expressing confidence that there are issues on which the parties could reach compromise
“However, there are issues on which compromise is impossible and we will have not to table such issues to the dialogue agenda,” Zoirov said.
He further added that his party gave priority to achievement of its program goals rather then struggle for power.
Rahmatullo Valiyev, deputy head of the Mahmadruzi Iskandarov-run wing of the Democratic Party (DPT) noted that such dialogue among the country’s political parties was necessary because “there are many serious problems in the country requiring attention of not only the public but also political parties.”
He noted that meetings with participation of senior representatives from all officially registered political parties, including ruling PDPT, should be held regularly. “Such meetings could facilitate solution of many pressing problems,” Valiyev said, adding that independent experts should be invited to such meetings.
Valiyev also called on state-run and independent media to give coverage of such meetings that would promote developing political pluralism in the country and finding solution to many problems facing our society.
We will recall that speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, Sayfullo Safarov, deputy director of the Center for Strategic Studies, said that Tajik political parties ought to start dialogue in order to promote further development of Tajikistan. According to him, it is the right moment for that. “There have been no any elections so far and there is no yet political tension or conflict of interests among political parties,” said Safarov, “Therefore, political parties will be quite able to hear each other.” He considers that the dialogue will provide good opportunities “for peaceful development of political interests in Tajikistan.”
Safarov reminded that the first steps towards organization of such a dialogue had been taken by senior representatives from the city organizations of the People’s Democratic (PDPT) and the Islamic Revival (IRPT) parties for Dushanbe. “Although the meeting was held within the framework of the project for strengthening of confidence among representatives of political Islam and supporters of the secular state order, representatives from both parties agreed to continue such meetings,” the political scientist said.
